Tomorrow, When the War Began: Testing the Audience

Dr Steve GaunsonAustralian Cinema, COMM1033,

RMIT University

Test Screenings• Anticipating and interpreting the audience.

• Test audiences are given a series of questions about the film, its style — and whether they would recommend it to a friend.

• Offers an opportunity to correct problems missed by the production team.

• Sceptics insist screen testing dilutes challenging ideas.

• Red Dog (currently in cinemas), Roadshow, Aug 4, 2011, $19.67m• Tomorrow, When The War Began, Paramount, Sept 2, 2010, $16.48m• Bran Nue Dae, Roadshow, Jan 14, 2010, $7.68m• Animal Kingdom, Madman, June 3, 2010 $5m• The Kings of Mykonos: Wog Boy 2, Paramount/Transmission, May 20, 2010,

$4.9m• Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole, Roadshow, Sept 30, 2010,

$4.73m• Sanctum, Universal, Feb 3, 2011, $3.869m• Oranges and Sunshine, Icon, June 9, 2011, $3.76m• Beneath Hill 60, Paramount/Transmission, April 15, 2010 $3.22m• Daybreakers, Hoyts, Feb 4, $2.45m• I Love You Too, Roadshow, May 6, $2.36m

Top grossing Australian films Released between 1 January 2010 and 30 September, 2011

All conducted test screenings

Different types of test screenings• Those conducted by professional organizations cost A$20

000 for a screening and focus group• Many producers handle the test screening themselves

– However the results can be very biased– With audiences made up of family and friends

• “Do your own test screenings. Get opinions, but don’t show your film to everyone at once. Listen to what people are telling you, but again, filter it through your inner guide and vision” — Jon Reiss

• Film Festivals are commonly becoming a ground for test screenings

• “One reason for Hollywood’s success may be the routine testing that Australian films have lacked. You’ve made a film for people to see…” — Phillip Noyce

• Why isn’t test screening being done and taught in film schools?

• Younger filmmakers and those wanting an international career are very open to test screenings

• Producers tend to fear audience testing and prefer to engage with an audience via the distributor at the release of their film

Test screenings allows producers to understand their audience demographic — and market accordingly

• Test screenings can get it wrong —Oranges and Sunshine (2011), indicated that women 40 years and older, seniors, and regional Australians most liked the film. – Younger people were the biggest numbers

during its opening weekend.

• Informed by the testing of about 300 people prior to release the audience for Snowtown (2011) was aged 35 years and over — South Australians and Victorians were most interested.

• Test screening of Animal Kingdom (2010) informed producers that females very much liked the film and liked Jacki Weaver. Publicity concentrated on her performance

Test screenings as publicity ‘buzz’• The internet has introduced a new dimension to screen marketing

and testing.– Social media has the potential to taint a film based on its test screening.

• A test screening of Mad Max: Fury Road drew critical acclaim and provoked a buzz on social media.Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/movies/mad-max-fury-road-test-screening-creates-early-buzz-20140502-37ly6.html#ixzz3jyTaruxM

• Filmmakers have to work more directly with audiences to ensure that audiences are reading their film correctly.– Is this a positive or negative?

Test screening results — another way to test success

• Invite debate and qualitative assessment beyond box-office measures of value.

• Ignore feedback before a film is finalized and it is likely to be heard via social media.

Final word

• Do test screenings help the smaller more challenging films?

• Would a test screening have forced Balibo to change its ending?

• Would a test screening have forced The Turning to cut its running time? Or be happier?

• Would you be more inclined to see a film that had conducted test screenings?